49erssports.com - The England national team is facing a series of bad results ahead of competing in the 2022 World Cup. The negative trend for the England national team occurred in the UEFA Nations League A event which was held from June to September 2022.
Of the six matches, England did not win any in the event. Gareth Southgate's side were forced to relegate to the UEFA Nations League B after finishing bottom of the group with three defeats and three draws.
Whereas previously England was unbeaten in nine consecutive matches. Prior to the 2022 UEFA Nations League, Southgate had only lost to Italy in the 2020 European Cup Final.
In response to this poor result, Harry Kane admitted that it was a good result for the England national team. "Of course it (UEFA Nations League results) is not the best period in a long time for England," Kane said as quoted by Skysport.
Bad Results Can Reduce Pressure on the England National Team
But behind the series of bad results for the England national team ahead of the 2022 World Cup, there is one positive thing. Harry Kane explained that this poor result actually made the England national team appear carefree.
According to him if they win a few games ahead of the World Cup, it will put pressure on England to continue the same results. Kane explained that the series of unsatisfactory results could make the England national team appear without being carried away by the tense atmosphere.
"But before a big tournament (2022 World Cup), that (a bad result) can be a very good thing because it allows you not to get carried away (joy), or even the media to get carried away," Kane explained.
"I feel if we win every game going into this tournament (the World Cup), then I feel 'We are guaranteed to win it (the World Cup') and that can come with different pressures," Kane added.
Performed well at the 2018 World Cup and 2020 European Cup
Even though the England national team failed miserably in the 2022 UEFA Nations League, that doesn't mean they aren't among the top seed for the 2022 World Cup. Apart from being a star player, England also has a pretty good track record in major tournaments in recent years.
The 2018 European Cup runner-up and World Cup semifinalists are proof that England is still strong at major tournaments. This means that the UEFA Nations results cannot be the strongest benchmark that the England national team is in a declining performance.
Harry Kane also feels that the assessment of the England national team only from the last few matches is not quite right. "We feel judged by the big tournaments (2018 World Cup and Euro 2020) is the main thing and the two (big) tournaments we did were good," said Kane.
"We have good faith in ourselves that we can go and have a great tournament in Qatar (2022 World Cup)," Kane added.
Adaptation and First Match So Key
The England national team will play their first match at the 2022 World Cup against Asian representatives, Iran. This inaugural match will be very crucial for England's next step in Qatar.
England national team striker Harry Kane also feels that the match against Iran must be maximized into a win. "The first game (against Iran) will be very important, that's for sure," Kane said in response to England's first steps at the 2022 World Cup.
But long before the match against Iran, Kane also stated that there were important things that the England national team needed to prepare for. It is an adaptation to the World Cup in the middle of the season and the environment in Qatar.
Kane considers that good adaptation is one of the proofs that the leading teams have at the 2022 World Cup. "But I think what separates the top nations and winners from the others is who can handle it (adaptation) well," explained Kane.